Do You Have Termites? - September 22

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

Dear friends:

Real estate owners in California have a fear of termites. I know, having lived there many years when our international headquarters was at Arrowhead Springs, near San Bernardino.

These hungry little insects love the climate. It's just dry enough and just warm enough for them to flourish.

Totally unsuspected, these pests find a vulnerable, subterranean entry and, if unchecked, will virtually destroy a building. You cannot sell a home in California without having a termite inspection and making a legal disclosure of the results. A bonded professional must survey the property, inspecting every nook and cranny prior to the sale. It is his responsibility to ensure that the new owner is not purchasing damaged real estate.

Likewise, there is a tiny spiritual termite gnawing away at the spiritual and emotional foundation of many Christians today. You cannot see him from the outside. But he is busily engaged in destruction.

Just like the literal termite, this symbolic pest, called "guilt," is devouring bite by bite, chomping away at the inner-strength and vitality of their lives. His primary target is one's peace, and his appetite is voracious. Unless checked, he will eat away until all of one's peace, inner-strength and vitality are gone.

This devouring termite of guilt finds entry into a person's life in two ways.

First, he finds entry through unconfessed sin. To defeat him, to maintain our peace, and to remain in fellowship with God, we must confess any disobedience as soon as the Holy Spirit reveals it to us. "If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong" (1 John 1:9, NLT). This wonderful promise from God's mercy is available to us 24/7.

Second, this pest of guilt finds entry in many people who just cannot believe that once sin is confessed and forsaken, they are truly forgiven. It sounds too good, too easy. They feel they need to carry the guilt to atone for their sins.

Well, it is good, but it is not easy. It cost Jesus His life to provide this for us. It honors Him when we believe His word and appropriate the great sacrifice He made for us, but it dishonors Him when we act as though we must add to His sacrifice and try to atone for our own sins.

Do not let the termite of past sin destroy your peace. Confess any known sin, then walk in the faith and victory our Lord desires for us, and paid for with His own blood.

Yours for fulfilling the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,
Bill Bright

The late Dr. Bill Bright was Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization which began as a campus ministry in 1951 and now has more than 27,000 full-time staff and up to 500,000 trained volunteer staff in 196 countries in areas representing 99.6 percent of the world's population. In the past 50 years, Campus Crusade for Christ has seen approximately 6 billion exposures to the gospel worldwide. The film, "JESUS," which Bright conceived and funded through Campus Crusade for Christ, is the most widely translated and viewed film of any type ever produced. Since its use began in 1980, the film has been translated into 839 languages and viewed or listened to by over 5.7 billion people in 228 countries. Dr. Bright was also the author of more than fifty books. Visit campuscrusade.com for more details

Copyright (c) 2003, Bill Bright. All rights reserved. However, readers may copy and distribute this message as desired, without restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered. Forwarding this e-mail to friends is encouraged. For many evangelistic and spiritual growth materials, visit the Campus Crusade for Christ Web site at ccci.org. See campuscrusade.com for Bill Bright's own materials.